RIPTIDE - Neteyam fanfic

ten

As soon as the sun began to set in the horizon, stelle' began to make her way to her secluded spot. Well their secluded spot.

She arrived first, sitting on the the sand and enjoying the noises of nature.

It was moments later that Neteyam arrived. "Stelle'?"

Stelle' got to her feet at the sound of his voice, facing him. "Neteyam."

He walked towards her, stopping a few feet away. "What is it you wanted to talk about?"

"I wanted to apologize. For snapping at you like that at the beach. It was uncalled for and I'm really sorry. My stress is not an excuse for treating you like that."

"It's ok. I understand."

Stelle knew that he of all people did understand. One of the reasons she felt so attracted to him was because they understood each other. "I also wanted to ask you how you deal with all the pressure from your father. or dealt with it in the past."

"Well I didn't. I let it eat me alive on the inside until I'm forced to let it all out."

"That sounds a lot like what happening to me right now." Stelle' looked at the floor, digging her toes in the sand.

Neteyam got closer. Much closer. He got ahold of her hands and looked her in the eyes. "Then let it out."

She looked up at him, meeting his gaze. "How?"

He leant forward to place his forehead on hers. It was only something he ever did with people he was close to. As a sign that he cared and was there for them. "However you can."

When she thought about letting out her frustration, letting go of her father's control on her, and finally doing what she wanted and what made her happy, she thought of kissing him.

his lips were so close to hers she just wanted to close the gap and feel them against her own. She wanted him to know that she felt the same. That she hadn't ignored him, that she didn't like Ronwin, that all she cared about was him.

there had been tension between them. When they spoke, when they joked, every time his hand grazed hers. Every time they looked into each others eyes. And she was tired of ignoring it. She was tired of putting her father's needs over her own.

She wanted to kiss him and she did. She placed a hand behind his neck and pulled his lips to hers. Neteyams's arms snaked around her waist, his tail wrapping around her legs to bring her closer.

the kiss was long, passionate. It said more than any words spoken between them ever would. It said they liked each other. A lot.

They separated for air, but stelle' still clung to his arms. "This is how.", she whispered.

Neteyam was out of breath. "That's fine by me."

-

Dinner had been served. Tsireya, announg and all the sullys but one sat at their usual table, digging into the fish they gathered earlier that day.

"Where is your brother?", tsireya asked Lo'ak.

"I don't know. Where is your sister?"

They both gave each other a knowing look. No words needed to be said for them to know what was being thought.

Tuk sat eating her fish in delight without a care in the world. Kirri and announg laughed at the edge of the table. They had somehow grown closer. Whether it was by rolling their eyes at their siblings or through the lessons, something had happened.

Neteyam and Stelle' walked to the table, sitting by tsireya and Lo'ak. Tsireya didn't even bother asking where they'd been like she usually would.

Ronwin came to sit in front of Neteyam and Stelle'. "Hey beautiful.", he greeted her.

Stelle' felt Neteyam tense and held onto his hand under the table in reassurance. "Hello, Ronwin."

The dinner was good. Everyone had finished quicker than usual. After staying behind to talk for a while everyone split up to go to their huts for the night.

"When will I see you again?", Neteyam asked. Lo'ak waited for him a few feet away to go to their hut.

"When you get lucky.", stelle' replied walking away to where her sister waited for her too. He watched her walk away with a smile.

"Come on, bro. Wipe the drool off your chin and let's go.", Lo,ak joked rubbing the top of his elder brothers head. Neteyam swatted his hand away with a grin.

-

"I will not bother keeping it unspoken for I am sure you know the reason for ronwin's visit.", tonowari spoke. He had called stelle' to the hut again in the morning claiming to have to speak to her of important matters. "When the time comes you will mate with him and assist in the unification of our two villages."

Stelle' swallowed a dry lump in her throat. She'd known the intentions behind ronwin's visit but her father saying them clear as water only made it more real.

Stelle' looked at her mother who couldn't even look her in the eye. When she did, stelle' gave her a look that she knew her mother could understand. Her eyes spoke volumes. You promised. They said. You promised this wouldn't happen. Her eyes shifted from being sad to angry and then they moved towards her father.

"Why are you silent, stelle'? Speak! How else am I supposed to know what you think?" She remained silent. "Why are you not speaking?!", his voice raised.

"Do not raise your voice at her, tonowari.", said Ronal. It had been the first time she'd spoke up to defend her daughter. "It is not the right way."

"why is she silent?" He asked her. "She is never silent." Ronal only shrugged.

"I am silent because I am afraid that if I speak I will say something I regret", stelle' uttered.

"And why is that?", questioned her father.

"Because I do not approve of the future you have planned for me." Speaking up about it was frightening but had to happen. She recalled Mira's advice. And tsireya's. Her father had too much control over her future and it was about time that changed.

Tonowari's face angered. "What?"

"I will mate with who I choose and if that is a problem for you or mother then maybe I am not suited to follow after your footsteps."

"Take that back!", tonowari ignored Ronal's request and resorted to raising his voice in order to get his point through. "Take that back now, Stelle'!"

"No." She stood her ground. She grew the courage to say something and she wouldn't back down now.

As her father became more and more frustrated all she thought about was Neteyam. It would all be worth it if she could run back to him in the end.

Tonowari groaned. " I am tired of your attitude!"

"You are tired, father? You are tired?!" Forget annoyed stelle' was furious. Completely and utterly furious. "I am tired! I am tired of you controlling my life! Controlling who I am with, who I am not with, what I say, what I don't say! It is tiring and annoying and confusing! If I am to become leader of the metkayina I will do so by thinking with my head, with my heart, and by doing as I wish. I will not think with your head or your heart or do as you and certainly not as anyone else wishes! I have a mind of my own so let me use it!"

Her father was shocked to say the least. She had never raised her voice at him. Never voiced and issue she had with his ways. Never rebelled.

"Get out of my hut.", said tonowari. He would deal with her later but for now needed time to think and consult with Ronal.

stelle' did as told, exiting the hut with a smile on her face. She had stood up to her father. She had voiced her opinion and for the first time had and impact on what her future would look like. And it felt good.

Wooo long chapter. Will probably update more later, hope you liked it :))